Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 24, 1995 TAG: 9511270033
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
After almost a half-century as a driver and car owner, NASCAR legend Junior Johnson is out of racing.
Johnson, 64, sold both of his race teams Wednesday, one to driver Brett Bodine and the other to Bob Brooks of Hooters. Brooks then turned around and sold the team to Arkansas lawyer David Blair.
Bodine, who just completed his first season driving for Johnson, bought the No.11 Ford team for a price estimated at $3 million to $5 million, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The deal included Johnson's Ingles Hollow shop in Wilkes County, but Bodine plans to base the operation at his shop in Mooresville.
``The deal has been rumored for a long time, but it didn't go through until today, because today's the day they closed on the real estate,'' the source said.
Johnson, who couldn't be reached Wednesday, said in October he wanted to sell ``the whole operation or nothing.''
Bodine, who was also unavailable for comment, plans to continue driving the No.11 Thunderbird.
Mike Smith will build the motors, and Donnie Richeson, who has worked with Bodine in the past, will be crew chief.
Brooks, who owns the Hooters Restaurant chain, had entered into a partnership with Johnson in which Hooters sponsored Johnson's No.27 car, driven by Loy Allen Jr. and Elton Sawyer this season. He bought out Johnson and resold the operation to Blair.
Hoover said Blair is a friend of Sawyer and plans to race the car with Sawyer as its driver next season.
Neither of Johnson's teams won a race this season.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB